Empire: The Rise (Anakin x Reader)

The Acquisition of Cal Kestis

A/N: BONUS CHAPTER! Hey everyone - this chapter is very long, and I decided to release it as a bonus chapter. While I do feel that it is important to the story, and hope you'll read it, I understand that some people are just here for the romance. This chapter does not contain Anakin, so for those of you who don't want to read about your acquisition of Cal, there is a TLDR at the end. For those of you who are reading for the story alongside the romance, I hope you enjoy this side chapter on one of my favorite characters joining your team. <3

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Empress (Y/N) hummed softly as the locomotive carried her convoy towards Kamino, rain pattering gently against the windows. She, Yoda, Fives, and Padme sat alone in the very last passenger car, one that she had claimed as an act of defiance since Anakin last banished her there. Though it had initially been a punishment, she ended up quite liking it - the back door opened to a small metal balcony, framed by railing, that allowed her to watch the landscape go by. Now, due to the impending storm, she sat comfortably in one of the seats inside, struggling to make sense of the blurry shapes passing in the window.

The train was currently climbing a steep hill; an impressive feat, courtesy of Anakin's excellent engineering. Though he could be a complete dolt sometimes, (Y/N) was big on giving credit where credit was due. She reminded herself to compliment him on the capabilities of the machine at a later date.

"Seem rather excited you do, Empress (Y/N)," Yoda spoke up. "Multiple state of the art training facilities, Kamino has, but has no cities to speak of. Let yourself down from excitement, you must not."

(Y/N) laughed softly as she turned her gaze on the older creature. 

"That's quite alright, Yoda. I'm looking forward to it. It will be my first time in the Kamino sector."

"I think you'll quite like it, my lady!" Fives spoke up enthusiastically. "I completed basic training there. All of the soldiers are my brothers, now. It's a great place to pick out new talent."

As (Y/N) opened her mouth to speak, she was cut off by a large jolt from the train, tossing her slightly forward as it screeched to a slow halt. 

Immediately Fives and Yoda stood, flanking her.

"Per the map, we shouldn't be near Kamino yet," the Empress murmured. "What on earth are we stopping for?"

This isn't good, she thought  to herself. Either there's an issue with the steam engine, or something has stopped us from moving forward. In the middle of a storm, neither is a welcome outcome. And, if something has stopped us, we could be worse off. Best case scenario it's debris; worst case scenario, we're going to be ambushed.

"Speak to the conductor about the issue, will you?" Yoda inquired of Padme.

"No!" (Y/N) quickly moved to grab Padme's wrist, unwilling to allow her friend to leave. "If we're being ambushed, she will be in danger moving through the train alone. We'll go together."

"Unlikely to be an ambush, it is," Yoda shook his head. "Only this morning, were our travel plans made. Farther than we have traveled, the Sith are."

The Empress bit her lip. He did have a point, but an unsettling feeling swirled in her stomach. Some might call it a woman's intuition, but this feeling always came about. It guided her whenever she felt conflicted, even in small situations. After all, it had been this feeling that had pushed her to meet Anakin in the infirmary that day.

"I'm not confident enough that it isn't something dangerous to allow her to go," she said finally, deciding to trust her gut.

"Very well. If an ambush it is, trying to draw us out to see what's going on, they are," Yoda concluded, a thoughtful claw on his chin. "Remain here while I assess, the Empress should. Fives, remain here, you should also. To guard her."